Friday, May 29, 2009

ZooNews Digest 26th - 29th May 2009 (Zoo News 597)

ZooNews Digest 26th - 29th May 2009 (Zoo News 597)

http://zoonewsdigest.com/

http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/

Peter Dickinson peterd482001@yahoo.co.uk

Dear Colleagues,

I return once again to the subject of the so called Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (http://www.tigerfriends.com/). I received an email which gives a little more information on the 'expertise' of this place:

"Your fears about Antle being referred to as an “expert” happened years ago in 2004 or 2005 when chimp owner St. James Davis was attacked in California by two ex-entertainment chimps at a pseudo-sanctuary. I was shocked when that very night of the attack, CNN had Antle appear on their live news show as a “chimp expert” where he gave information about the dangers of chimpanzees. At that point, his experience was with one infant chimpanzee that he owned…. Now he owns two chimps (still juveniles) and four orangutans: three infants and one young juvenile who appeared on Oprah last week (and is the subject in the jet ski photos) . That orangutan and Antle appeared the next morning on the NBC Today Show with Matt Lauer…. and just this past Monday with Ellen Degeneres on her afternoon show."

A bit worrying don't you think?

I send my deep and sincere condolences to the friends and families of the two zoo keepers killed by tigers these past week. I really am genuinely sorry. Both sad, both tragic and at least one death was avoidable. Sorry but there really should be no need, no necessity, no reason whatsoever for anyone in any zoo anywhere to enter any enclosure with a large cat. All this talk of Tazers and Cattle Prodders are absolute insanity. I don't care if the tiger was hand reared and gone in with for years as a matter of routine. It is not clever or brave it is just stupid and an accident waiting to happen. It is Amateur!! Non Professional. Sadly these accidents are happening all too often. Why was is it I wonder that the press really jumped on the bandwagon as far as the death in New Zealand went but largely ignored the equally sad incident in Naestved zoo in Denmark. Was it because the Tiger in the Zion Wildlife Gardens was a so called 'Rare White Tiger'?

Congratulations Chiang Mai Zoo on the birth of the Giant Panda. I am delighted, of course I am. But call me 'old fashioned' in these matters but the very last thing I would have done was remove the cub to weigh and measure it within hours of its birth. There is too much of this sort of thing going on in the 'modern zoo'. I reckon it explains why so many animals end up being unnecessarily hand reared. Working as Curator or Head Keeper my rule was always hands off, stay away, mom knows best....and she does!

The only zoo related hubpage I have written this week is:

Animal Training Pouches

Visit my webpages at: http://hubpages.com/profile/Peter+Dickinson

Hubpages are brilliant, quick to create webpages which can earn you a small passive income from day one. Read my "Quick Guide to Hub Construction." http://ewerl.com/Ua92gJ I truly believe it will be worth your while.

This Weeks Books of Interest to the Zoo Professional
http://moourl.com/6rk1w

On with the links:

Tributes paid to big-hearted zoo keeper
The fatal attack on a zoo keeper at Zion Wildlife Gardens in Whangarei comes as no surprise to one tiger expert.Dalu Mncube was cleaning an enclosure at the park yesterday when a male white tiger attacked and killed him.Dr Brendan Moyle from Massey University says accidents with big cats happen regularly at zoos all over the world. He says it has to be remembered that tigers are dangerous carnivores and their instinct is to kill.Dr Moyle has been working with tigers in Asia for the past two years and says he would never go into an enclosure with a tiger which has not been anaesthetised.Mr Mncube is being remembered as a big hearted man who just loved big cats. Philip Smith, the managing director of Great Southern Television which makes The Lion Man series filmed at Zion park, says Mr Mncube's
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=157887



Incidents at Zion Wildlife Park
The Zion Wildlife Park where a keeper was mauled to death today has been the scene of other, less serious, incidents. Park employee Demetri Price required surgery after he was attacked in February by a white tiger he had been working with. The cat had been spooked by a pride of lions.Dalu Mncube, who was killed in today's attack, had saved the situation by using his hands to open the tiger's jaws."I never got scared," Mr Mncube said at the time."You stay nice and calm. If I got scared and panicked we could have had two casualties ... it happened in a flash. It was over before we knew it."The South African cat keeper of nine years' experience, Mr Mncube said all keepers knew to keep calm if an animal bit and he played down his role.Abu is not one of the tigers that interact with the public because of his tendency to get frightened, Mr Mncube said.Last year, Scottish teenager and park volunteer Lisa Baxter was left scarred after putting her hands through a hole in the fence and being bitten by a white lion cub. Criticism was leveled at the park for failing to report the attack, and at Ms Baxter for her actions which led to the bite.In early 2007, a three-year-old child was scratc
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/2449077/Incidents-at-Zion-Wildlife-Park



'Hero' keeper mauled to death had saved colleague
The South African zoo keeper mauled to death by a tiger at a New Zealand wildlife park yesterday had recently rescued a colleague from the same animal, and said the key was to "stay nice and calm" when attacked.Dalu Mncube, known affectionately as "Uncle Dalu", prised open the jaws of a white tiger after it sunk its teeth into fellow keeper Demetri Price at Zion Wildlife Gardens three months ago, and then blasted it with a fire extinguisher.The same tiger, named Abu, yesterday leapt at Mr Mncube as he was cleaning its cage, fatally "tearing" him in the head, torso and lower leg.Eight tourists, including two children, saw the mauling."It was very, very frightening ... we were all there when it happened. We are all very shaken at the moment," said a visitor from Auckland.The white tiger, one of only 120 in the world, was put down.Speaking after rescuing Mr Price three
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/hero-keeper-mauled-to-death-had-saved-colleague-20090528-bo7u.html








Former insider speaks out about tiger attack
A former volunteer at the Lionman's troubled wildlife park says more could have been done to prevent a tiger from fatally mauling a keeper.Dalu Mncube was killed at the Zion Wildlife Gardens in Whangarei by the same big cat that had previously mauled another keeper.The park says it followed all safety procedures and had recently carried out emergency drills.A former volunteer at the park says she had major concerns about the public being allowed to pet some of the big cats."If one of those animals were to turn 10 men couldn't stop it, I'm very surprised that somebody hasn't been killed already because of those issues," says Rosemary.She says park management was asked to look into tazers or stun guns for the keepers but didn't."What would have happened if he'd had a tazer would he still be alive today," she says.Many are mourning the death of Dalu and came on Thursday to give something back to a man who gave so much to the park."These flowers are from my girls this was given to my daughter on the 17th of may and she wanted to give it back to her Uncle Dalu," says one woman.Other friends joined in paying their respects."I reckon he was the backbone of this park he knew all the animals and the animals knew him and its a very sad loss I think even the lions feel it that they lost there father," says Neo Phamoste, a friend of Dalu.More details of the vicious attack are surfacing.Another keeper used everything he could to try and force the tiger back."He had a large stick next to himself he then beat the tiger repeatedly with the stick and then eventually started using an electric cattle prodder, now that cattle prodder delivers quite a bolt, it's quite a shock to receive. The animal stopped the attack very briefly when that was used and then returned," says Glen Holland, Zion Wildlife Gardens Manager.ONE News understands the mauling went on for som
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/former-insider-speaks-tiger-attack-2761601



Lion Man Craig Busch 'trusted killer tiger'
NEW Zealand's controversial Lion Man, Craig Busch, says his favourite tiger, shot after a savage mauling, never had behavioural problems while he was zoo boss.Senior zoo keeper Dalu Mncube was mauled to death by a rare white tiger, Abu, at Zion Lion Park in the North Island city of Whangarei on Wednesday.Staff shot the 260kg tiger to recover Mr Mncube's body.In February, the same 26-year-old keeper had saved an Australian colleague from Abu's jaws, prising its teeth apart using a fire extinguisher.It is the third major animal attack at the zoo since Busch, the operating manager and star of the international reality TV series The Lion Man, was dismissed under a cloud in December.He lost his job after a government investigation found his 42 big cats in insanitary and crowded conditions, with inspectors so concerned they considered putting the animals down.As a result, he faces a string of allegations including major breaches of safety protocols and inappropriate workplace, but is fighting to be reinstated through New Zealand's Employment Court.A tearful Busch today told journalists that the
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25555812-12335,00.html




Dalton animal park to treble in size
AMBITIOUS plans to expand Dalton zoo to three times its original size would see it become an even bigger tourist draw.Elephants and jaguars are among the new species to be introduced, along with superior visitor facilities.South Lakes Wild Animal Park, which celebrates its 15th anniversary today, has long been expansion-minded. The acreage of the park has never altered, despite visitor numbers soaring from 55,000 in its opening year to 250,000 a year now.Attendance is expected to climb even higher this year, partly due to the popularity of two rhino calves born in 2008.Director of the animal park, David Gill, is in talks with two landowners to acquire agricultural land surrounding the park as part of a deal that would cost £3.6m.The only thing standing in the way of the expansion is “legalities”.“We either stand still and struggle or work very hard to increase the quality of the experience by spreading people out more and building new facilities,” said Mr Gill, who turned 48 on Tuesday.We’ve been looking at somewhere over the last two-and-a-half years close to the M6, to catch people half an hour earlier in their journey.“That’s not what I want, but it may be something I might really have to consider doing.“But everything is looking very good. It’s just legalities and then the problem of funding it. Saying that, we’ve got to be one of the most successful businesses in the region for profitability.”Last year’s turnover was in region of £2.7m, before tax and VAT.From that, the zoo’s two conservation charities received more than £200,000. Over the past 15 years the zoo has given nearly £2m to its wildlife conservation projects abroad.Mr Gill puts his business’s success down to steady growth. He said: “The secret has been continual investment and always looking to do something new and be unique and give people a visit they will never forget.“People love the concept of coming here, enjoying themselves and contributing to changing the world a
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/dalton_animal_park_to_treble_in_size_1_560598?referrerPath=news







Zoo plan can benefit us all
WHEN South Lakes Wild Animal Park was opened even its eternally optimistic founder David Gill could not have imagined its success.Fifteen years later, on land once scarred by abandoned mine workings, “Dalton Zoo” is Cumbria’s biggest tourist attraction.Controversy has never been far from Mr Gill whose plans to triple the size of the park are his most ambitious to date.Detractors were voicing objections before a peccary set so much as a trotter on the lush Dalton grass.So too will he have objectors to his current plans.However, if he gets the requisite planning permission and obtains the land he needs for expansion, the zoo will not only be the greatest attraction in Cumbria but one of the biggest and best in the north of England.This can only be a good thing
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/no_title_1_560587?referrerPath=news




Jeddah zoo owner ordered to vacate municipality land
The Jeddah municipality has won its court battle with the former manager of the Beautiful Creatures Zoo after the latter filed a lawsuit demanding an SR6.38 million compensation for demolishing part of the facility last year.The case began when the period of contract for renting the 3,000 square-meter public land — which was used by the plaintiff to the run the zoo — ended last year and the municipality called for tenders to rent the area anew but the plaintiff lost the bid.In the meantime, a citizen lodged a complaint at the Makkah governorate that the zoo was spreading bad smells in its neighborhood and that it creates traffic congestion. Later a multidepartmental committee studied the issue and advised authorities not to renew the contract for the zoo. The municipality then went forward
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=122944&d=27&m=5&y=2009




Water Problems Suspected After 11 Stingrays Die
Most of the National Zoo's stingrays died over the holiday weekend, probably the victims of water problems in the Amazonia exhibit's aquarium, according to zoo officials. Eleven of the zoo's 18 freshwater stingrays and two arowana fish were found dead about 7 a.m. Monday in the 55,000-gallon tank designed to replicate a flooded Amazon forest, officials said. The exhibit was open to the public yesterday, while zookeepers
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/27/AR2009052701734.html







Karen apes about to save gorillas
A ZOOKEEPER is jetting across the globe to help save an endangered species. Karen Swan, lemur keeper at South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Dalton, will fly to Uganda in October to join the Gorilla Organisation.Miss Swan, 21, will be trying to stop the country’s endangered mountain gorillas from becoming extinct. She has to raise £2,300 – covering her flight and accommodation – to take part in the rescue programme.To help fund her trip, she was due to do a sponsored walk on Saturday from Dalton to Ulverston, down the coast road, through Barrow and back to Dalton – dressed
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/karen_apes_about_to_save_gorillas_1_559142?referrerPath=news/



'Lion Man' says he was sacked without warning
"Lion Man" Craig Busch said today he was dismissed from the Northland wildlife park which helped make him famous without notice and without being given any warnings. He was giving evidence at an investigative meeting before Employment Relations Authority member Yvonne Oldfield into his claim for reinstatement to his job at Zion Wildlife Gardens in Whangarei. Mr Busch, who became famous worldwide through his Lion Man television series, was sacked from the park run by his mother Patricia Busch late l
http://www.3news.co.nz/News/NationalNews/Lion-Man-says-he-was-sacked-without-warning/tabid/423/articleID/105915/cat/64/Default.aspx



Polar bear at city zoo faces long road trip to new home
MOVING home is generally believed to be one of the most stressful activities in life.Anyone who has lived in the same home for more than 25 years would find the idea of switching to a new location hundreds of miles away understandably nerve-wracking.And while Mercedes the polar bear may not have to worry
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Polar-bear-at-city-zoo.5301520.jp







Hospital workers save orang-utan
Staff at Jersey Hospital have helped save the life of an orang-utan which suffered health complications while giving birth to a stillborn baby.Dana, who lives at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, went into labour on Saturday and suffered huge blood loss. An anaesthetist and an obstetrician from the hospital, together with
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/jersey/8068358.stm



Tiger mauls NZ zoo keeper to death
A zoo-keeper has been mauled to death by a white tiger in a New Zealand safari park, as horrified tourists looked on. The keeper suffered serious "tearing" injuries to his abdomen and lower leg after being attacked at around 11 am local time today when he and another keeper went to clean the white tiger enclosure at Zion Wildlife Centre in Whangarei, on North Island. Northland Police District spokeswoman Sarah Kennett said the other keeper had tried to help his colleague but despite his best efforts, the tiger would not let
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article6369586.ece



Students study DNA of zoo's dolphins
Advanced science students at Zionsville High School extracted and analyzed dolphin DNA this month in an ongoing collaboration with the Indianapolis Zoo, the University of Indianapolis and other research facilities.Biology and genetics students used centrifuges, gel chambers, ultraviolet transilluminators and other high-tech lab equipment to determine
http://www.indystar.com/article/20090527/LOCAL0202/905270335/1013/NEWS/Students+study+DNA+of+zoo+s+dolphins







Mountain Lion Escape At Great Bend Zoo Blamed On Staff Error
Zoo officials in Great Bend say a Mountain Lion's escape from her enclosure Sunday night was the result of a staff error.
The escape happened during feeding time. Zoo Director Mike Cargill said an investigation showed the 150-pound female cat's double-gated entry was left unsecured by a member of the park's staff.Cargill said disciplinary action will be taken, but did not elaborate, calling the matter a personnel issue. The Mountain Lion, which Cargill said had a history of being aggressive and unpredictable, was shot and killed by Great Bend police approximately 20 minutes after her escape. Cargill says the cat was never more than 150 feet from her enclosure, and that guests in the park were not in immediate danger.Asked why the cat was not tranquilized, Cargill said sedatives are kept on zoo property. However, because the sedatives are classified as narcotics, laws limit that only a licensed individual -- such as a veterinarian -- administer them.Cargill said the zoo is too small to have a full-time veterinarian on staff, but contracts with a veterinarian in the community. Authorities quickly contacted the veterinarian Sunday night, but Cargill
http://www.kake.com/home/headlines/46126802.html



Zoo keeper found dead in tiger cage
A 31-year-old man with a passion for tigers was found dead after apparently committing suicide in a Danish zoo, reports said on Tuesday.The man, who worked as a keeper at the Naestved zoo near Copenhagen, died of asphyxiation after he set alight hay used in the tiger's section.The man's remains were found on Tuesday by colleagues, the Ekstra Bladet tabloid reported, adding that the two big cats had partly eaten his remains.The man was said to have had
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=818342



First panda cub born at zoo in Thailand
Staff were not aware that 7-year-old female Lin Hui was pregnantA Thai zoo has announced the birth of a healthy panda cub after years of failed attempts that included using mating videos to entice the parents to have sex.The panda birth Wednesday in the northern city of Chiang Mai was the first in Thailand.Zoo director Thananpat Pong-amorn says staff were not aware that 7-year-old female Lin Hui was pregnant. Zoo staff artificially
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30960270/







Orangutans face abuse in Indonesian zoos: study
Orangutans in public and private Indonesian zoos are being abused to the point where they are eating their own vomit and drinking their own urine, according to conservationists.The non-governmental Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) said zookeepers were keeping the endangered apes malnourished so they would be eager to take food from visitors."The zoo managements have abandoned the principles of animal welfare," which is to keep animals free of pain, hunger and stress, COP captivity researcher Luki Wardhani told a press conference."We documented several stress symptoms and abnormal behavior. They bump their own bodies, vomit and eat it again, urinate and drink their own urine, lick their own nipples and sit without expression."A COP study of five zoos across Java island found that some of the apes were being denied proper nourishment so they would eat anything tourists tossed into their cages."Public feeding should be stopped. The visitors often feed the orangutans unsuitable food and the zoos fail to monitor this," COP captivity program manager Seto Hari Wibowo said.Too often the orangutans are kept in cages instead of larger enclosures which help reduce their stress levels, the group said.There are an estimated 50,000 to 60,000 orangutans left in
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i4qMVA8Z2xelIm-q5NRg9wKozlzg



Cavern under zoo has opened for tours
Some of vast space used as storage sitePublic tours of the huge cavern under the Louisville Zoo are now being offered.The newly named Louisville Mega Cavern, also known as the Louisville Underground, is being billed as "a full-blown tourist attraction," said David Grantz, a spokesman for the tour venture being undertaken by the cavern's three owners, businessmen Jim Lowry and brothers Don and Tom Tyler.A ribbon cutting is planned at 11 a.m. tomorrow to announce the cavern tours.Representatives of the governor's and the mayor's offices plan to attend, along with officials
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20090527/NEWS01/905270444/1008/NEWS01/Cavern+under+zoo+has+opened+for+tours



Zoo probe expanded after SPCA learns of albino black bear's death
Society's investigation sparked by reports of four zebra deathsA provincial animal-cruelty probe triggered by the recent sudden death of four zebras at the Greater Vancouver Zoo will also look into how a rare albino black bear died at the same facility in January.Eileen Drever, senior animal protection officer with the BC SPCA, met with zoo staff Tuesday afternoon to discuss the recent spate of animal deaths, and to decide whether animal cruelty charges are warranted."If an animal dies as a result of its captivity or negligence we have to obviously investigate further," Drever said.Officials at the Aldergrove zoo insist they've done nothing wrong. "We do have births and deaths, and even though we care deeply for all our animal friends, unfortunate
http://www.canada.com/Travel/probe+expanded+after+SPCA+learns+albino+black+bear+death/1521649/story.html







Now, the sound of spring is at risk
The cuckoo, the bird whose two-note call has long been one of the iconic sounds of spring, has been added to the Red List of Britain's most threatened species. Once familiar everywhere in the countryside, the cuckoo has declined by 60 per cent in the last forty years, and
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/now-the-sound-of-spring-is-at-risk-1691821.html



Beavers back in wilds of Scotland for first time in 400 years
THREE families of beavers will today become the first to be released into the wild in Scotland for more than 400 years.From Norway, the 17 beavers are being released into sites in Knapdale Forest, in Argyll, after six months in quarantine.The Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland have been given the green light for a trial introduction, despite fears about
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Beavers-back-in-wilds-of.5314208.jp



Tree rats and wallabies and dingoes, oh my: Updates on Oz's endangered species
It's been a busy week -- full of both good news and bad -- for Australia's endangered species. One of the country's most endangered mammals, the Victorian brush-tailed rock wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) now has a chance at survival thanks to an innovative breeding program at Adelaide Zoo. The process takes days-old joeys and transfers them to the pouches of mothers of a similar species, allowing the original mother to start breeding again. Only a dozen Victorian brush-tailed rock wallabies existed before this breeding program, but the zoo reports 130 successful births, a more than 1,000 percent increase in the species' population.The critically endangered Northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii) has also seen a small population boost, from 115 animals to 138, over the last two years. The wombat lives in just a single site in Epping Forest National Park in central Queensland, but a AU$3 million ($2.35 million USD) partnership with the mining company Xstrata will soon create a site for a second habitat, which would help protect the species from threats such as disease or fire, which could otherwise wipe out the wombats in a single stroke. Previous conservation efforts -- such as building a predator-proof fence and feeding the wombats during droughts -- have been credited for the species' recent population growth.But the news isn't as good for the golden-backed tree-rat (Mesembriomys macrurus). The species has only been observed scientifically three times in the last century, and now an extensive search in Australia's Northern Territory has failed to turn up any trace of the species. It's now feared the species may
http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=tree-rats-and-wallabies-and-dingoes-2009-05-28







Biologist Immortalised as ‘Smart’ Fish
A UAE-based researcher is on her way to being immortalised in biology textbooks after a new species of fish was named after her.Arabian freshwater fish Garra Smarti was named after the British-born Ph.D. student, Emma Smart, who discovered it while diving in Southern Oman.Smart has been studying Arabian freshwater fish, while working for a joint Emirates Wildlife Society-WWF initiative in Dubai over the last 
eight years.“To find a new species of invertebrate is not that common these days, so I’m very proud,” she said.“Although the fish was not that different from other freshwater fish, it was the location which was unusual. This particular species must have been separated in this region for hundreds of thousands of years.”She took measurements on the properties of the water
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/darticlen.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2009/May/theuae_May696.xml&section=theuae




Turtle hunters become guardians of the endangered species
For centuries, turtle eggs have been as good as currency on this tiny Indonesian island—they helped put children through school and kept the village kitty in petty cash.But four years ago the people of Runduma, population 500, decided to change their way of life and start protecting the endangered animals, which return year after year to lay their eggs on the surrounding islands.Now environmentalists say turtle numbers are increasing in the seas off southeast Sulawesi, and the turtle hunters have become their guardians in the battle to save the marine reptiles from extinction.‘We used to have a long and unique tradition of organising the egg collection among the people here,’ Runduma village chief La Brani told AFP.‘Families took turns every night to collect eggs and 30 out of around 100 eggs from each nest were set aside for the village's petty cash.’ Most
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/sci-tech/19-turtle-hunters-become-guardians-of-the-endangered-species-sf-01




Gujarat Zoo tries to play Cupid for Cheetahs
After hogging limelight for acquiring the earth's fastest mammals, Cheetah from Singapore, officials of Sakkarbaugh Zoo in Junagarh, Gujarat have now got down to do more serious job ensuring courtship between the two African pairs. And they know its not an easy task given that the male Cheetahs who live in groups usually attack female, which are solitary in nature and seldom show any obvious behaviour revealing their reproductive status. "Breeding Cheetah is very challenging. But we will make this happen. We will soon visit to De Wildt Cheetah and Wildlife Trust is South Africa to get the training in breeding of the endangered species. "De Wildt has achieved remarkable success in increasing the population of the spotted big cat," V J Rana, director Sakkarbaugh Zoo
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Earth/Gujarat-Zoo-tries-to-play-Cupid-for-Cheetahs-/articleshow/4589646.cms





Lahore bomb explosion kills zoo animals
A hog deer died at the Lahore Zoo due to the impact of a blast in nearby Emergency 15 main office on Wednesday, a report said yesterday. Zoo Director Zafar Shah disclosed the hog deer died because of the shock. Windowpanes of various rooms at the zoo also broke following the blast, he said. He said zoo visitors were rescued through the Bagh-i-Jinnah gate. However, a zoo official said a partridge was also killed due to the impact of the blast. The Zoo Management Committee vice-chairman
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=293670&version=1&template_id=41&parent_id=23



A sinking feeling at the aquarium
In the shallow waters behind Sharjah’s aquarium, a team of divers spent Saturday scuttling a small boat that will form the foundation of an artificial reef which it is hoped will eventually become home to a host of marine life, including turtles and seahorses. Sinking a small wooden fishing boat off the coast of Sharjah may sound easy, but it took eight divers and around 20 large granite rocks to accomplish the task at the weekend.Submerged in the shallow waters outside Sharjah Aquarium, the vessel will act as the foundation for an artificial reef.Over the next two weeks, the reef will be built up around the boat using recycled building materials. In time, it will become encrusted with hard and soft corals. That, it is hoped, will in turn become home
http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090526/NATIONAL/705259837/1041/rss



Phila. Zoo opens new avian center Friday
The Philadelphia Zoo will open its $17.8 million McNeil Avian Center bird exhibition on Friday.The center is a significant updating of the original 1916 bird house, this time with elements of entertainment, education and conservation, board chairman Jerry Calvert said at a ceremony unveiling the center on Thursday.The center consists of four exhibits and a “4-D movie” featuring the story of migration told on four screens. Exhibits stress the role birds play in the environment
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2009/05/25/daily26.html?surround=lfn


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ZOO BIOLOGY

The Zoo Biology Group is concerned with all disciplines involved inthe running of a Zoological Garden. Captive breeding, husbandry,cage design and construction, diets, enrichment, man management,record keeping, etc etc

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zoo-biology



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October 20-23, 2009
Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

For Registration please forward before Sept 1st 2009 to Charlie GrayAfrican Lion Safari, RR#1, Cambridge, Ontario N1R5S2, CanadaFAX: (001) 519- 623-9542Email: cgray@lionsafari.com

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Journal of Threatened Taxa

May 2009 Vol. 1 No. 5 Pages 253-308 Date of Publication 26 May 2009ISSN 0974-7907 (online) 0974-7893 (print)

Contents

Redescription of Batasio merianiensis, a catfish (Teleostei: Bagridae) from northeastern India-- Heok Hee Ng, Pp.253-256

Utilization of forest flora by Phayre’s Leaf-Monkey Trachypithecus phayrei (Primates: Cercopithecidae) in semi-evergreen forests of Bangladesh-- M.A. Aziz & M.M. Feeroz, Pp. 257-262

Morphometric geometric study of wing shape in Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) from Tamil Nadu, India-- K. Manimegalai, M. Arunachalam & R. Udayakumari, Pp. 263-268

Host range of meliolaceous fungi in India-- V.B. Hosagoudar & G.R. Archana, Pp. 269-282

Occurrence of the Madras Tree Shrew Anathana ellioti (Waterhouse) (Scandentia: Tupaiidae) in the Biligirirangan Hills, Karnataka, India-- Umesh Srinivasan, N.S. Prashanth, Shyamal Lakshminarayanan, Kalyan Varma, S. Karthikeyan, Sainath Vellal, Giri Cavale, Dilan Mandanna, Philip Ross & Thapa, Pp. 283-286

A priliminary report on the ichthyofauna of Yedayanthittu Estuary (Tamil Nadu, India) and rivulets draining into it-- M. Eric Ramanujam & R. Anbarasan, Pp. 287-294

Species composition and seasonal variation of butterflies in Dalma Wildlife Sanctuary, Jharkhand, India-- Sushant Kumar Verma, Pp. 295-297

Three additions to the known butterfly (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera and Grypocera) fauna of Goa, India-- Parag Rangnekar & Omkar Dharwadkar, Pp. 298-299

Taxonomic studies on a collection of Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) from India with new distribution records-- Ankita Gupta & J. Poorani, Pp. 300-304

Two species of Megastigmus Dalman associated with wild rose, Rosa webbiana (Rosaceae ) from Ladakh, India with a key to the oriental species (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Torymidae)-- P.M. Sureshan, Pp. 305-308


Thanking you,


Sanjay Molur
Founder Editor, Journal of Threatened Taxa
Wildlife Information & Liaison Development / Zoo Outreach Organisation9-A Lal Bahadur Colony, Gopal NagarPeelamedu, PB 1683Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu 641004India
Ph: +91 422 2568906 (Direct), 2561743, 2561087Fx: +91 422 2563269
http://www.zoosprint.org/http://www.zooreach.org/http://www.southasiantaxa.org/http://www.pterocount.org/http://www.southasianprimatenetwork.org/http://www.threatenedtaxa.org/

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Hi

Could you give this link to members that want to help with the protest with the this article?
Ape rescue forest to be logged

AN INDONESIAN paper company is planning to log an area of unprotected jungle which is being used as a reintroduction site for about 100 critically endangered orangutans, activists said on Monday. A coalition of environmental groups said a joint venture between Asia Pulp & Paper and Sinar Mas Group had received a licence to clear the largest portion of natural forest remaining outside Bukit Tigapuluh national park on Sumatra. The area is home to about 100 great apes that are part of the only successful reintroduction programme for Sumatran orangutans, the sub-species most at risk of extinction, the coalition said in a statement. It is also a crucial habitat for the last remaining Sumatran tigers and elephants left in the wild, it said. 'It took scientists decades to discover how to successfully reintroduce critically endangered orangutans from captivity into the wild,' said Peter Pratje of the

http://moourl.com/n7fdd

Sign Protest Petition at http://www.orangutan.org.au/

You can also voice your concern to APP customers in your country
.
Thanks
Leif Cocks
President, Australian Orangutan Project



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FUNDING FOR ZOOShttp://moourl.com/yzrkq

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Endangered Species Recovery
20th July – 7th August 2009
A short-course for anyone with an active interest in animal conservation and a desire to learn how species can be saved. Lectures will be given by world class conservationists. Practical activities and behind the scenes experiences in Durrell’s animal collection will provide participants with first-hand exposure to the realities of endangered species recovery. On completion participants will be equipped with a fuller appreciation of the complexities of animal conservation and an ability to develop their personal or professional interests in the field.
For further information please visit http://www.durrell.org/ (get involved menu, select training)Or contact Catherine Burrows at: catherine.burrows@durrell.org

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Volunteering Opportunity
Elephantstay at the Royal Elephant Kraal Village, Ayutthaya Thailand
Please check http://www.elephantstay.com/ for additional information.


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Announcing the ASZK Des Spittall Scholarship for Keeper Research
Named in honour of the late Des Spittall, a life member of ASZK, the ASZK committee has launched the Des Spittall Scholarship for keeper research. This is open to people who have been a financial member of ASZK for 12 months or more. This is an annual scholarship up to the value of $2,000. Applications close 31st October 2009Please forward ‘Des Spittall Scholarship for Keeper Research’ application to ASZK President no later than 31st of October each year at email eo@aszk.org.au

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FOR UPDATED ZOO VACANCIES PLEASE VISIT: http://zoowork.blogspot.com/

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Meetings

The 9th International Conference on Environmental Enrichment.
31st May – 5th June 2009.
Torquay, Devon, UK
Please go to http://www.reec.info/
For more information
julian.chapman@paigntonzoo.org.uk



"First African Symposium on Zoological Medicine"
July 18th and 19th 2009.
Johannesburg Zoo, South Africa.
Financial assistance available for vets from other African countries.
For more details contact Teresa Slacke on vetadmin@jhbzoo.org.za



The 7th Annual Turtle Survival Alliance Symposium on Chelonian Conservation and Biology
August 5th - 8th, 2009
St Louis, Missouri
For details on membership, registration, program and events, please visit our website at http://www.turtlesurvival.org/




Professional Training Seminars at Shedd Aquarium
Animal Training Seminar with Ken Ramirez
Environmental Quality Seminar with Allen LaPointe
August 24 –28, 2009
Please contact the adult programs coordinator at
adults@sheddaquarium.org for more information



THIRD ORANGUTAN SSP© HUSBANDRY WORKSHOP
MONDAY, AUGUST 31 THROUGH WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
Zoo Atlanta, USA
http://www.2009orangutanworkshop.org/



AZA 2009 Annual Conference
September 12-17, 2009
Oregon Zoo
http://aza.org/ConfWork/AC_Intro/index.html



26th EAZA Annual Conference
14 - 20 September 2009
Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark.


3rd International Congress on Zoo Keeping and the 36th American Association of Zoo Keepers National Conference
September 24th - 29th 2009 The Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK and WoodlandPark Zoo
See these websites for further information: http://www.iczoo.org/
http://www.pugetsoundaazk.org/



CBSG (Conservation Breeding Specialist Group)
1-4 October 2009
St. Louis, MO, USA (right before the WAZA Meeting)
For further information: ginger@cbsg.org
http://www.cbsg.org/cbsg/



64th WAZA Annual Conference
4 - 8 October 2009
St. Louis Zoo at the Renaissance Grand Hotel, St. Louis (MO), USA.
For more information, please visit http://www.waza.org/


Second Okapi Workshop
11 14 October 2009
Antwerp Zoo
For further details go to:
http://www.theokapi.org/nieuwsvolledig.asp?nieuws=15



2009 ZRA Annual Conference : Overview
October 21-25, 2009
Zoo Boise , Boise , Idaho
If you have questions about the 2009 ZRA Annual Conference Program, please contact the Program Chairman, Pam Krentz, Registrar for Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, at (216) 635-3361 or by email at pak@clevelandmetroparks.com




The Bear Care Group announces the second international bear care conference 'Advancing Bear Care '09.
SAN FRANCISCO NOVEMBER 6-8 2009
http://www.bearcaregroup.org/




The 6th European Zoo Nutrition Conference
Barcelona, 28-31 January 2010
Please send comments or suggestions for topics/speakers directly to me (a.fidgett@chesterzoo.org). Further announcements and information will be posted online via the nutrition area of the EAZA website (http://www.eaza.net/).



20th International Zoo Educators' (IZE) Biennial Conference
19 - 23 October 2010 Disney's Animal Kingdom, Florida, USA.
For more information, please visit http://www.izea.net/



Zoohistorica
International meeting of collectors of zoo literature and memorabilia
Internationales Treffen der Sammler zoohistorischer Literatur
Rencontre internationale des collectionneurs de documents en rapport avec les zoos
See here for more details: http://www.zoohistorica.org/



7th International Penguin Conference
DATE: August 30 to September 3, 2010
LOCATION: Boston Massachusetts, USA
HOSTED BY: The New England Aquarium
ipcboston@neaq.org



AZA 2010 Annual Conference
September 11-16
Houston Zoo, Houston , TX
http://aza.org/ConfWork/AC_Intro/index.html



AZA 2011 Annual Conference
September 12-17
Zoo Atlanta , Atlanta , GA
http://aza.org/ConfWork/AC_Intro/index.html



AZA 2012 Annual Conference
September 8-13
Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix , AZ
http://aza.org/ConfWork/AC_Intro/index.html



AZA 2013 Annual Conference
September 7-12
Kansas City Zoo, Kansas City , MO
http://aza.org/ConfWork/AC_Intro/index.html

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ZooNews Digest is an independent publication, not allied or attachedto any zoological collection.

Many thanks.

Kind Regards,

Wishing you a wonderful week,

Peter Dickinson
http://www.zoonewsdigest.com/
http://www.geocities.com/peterd482001/ZooNews_Digest.html

Editor/Owner ZooNews Digest
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/zoonewsdigest/

Owner/Moderator Zoo Biology
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/zoo-biology/

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